I’ve always loved playing with colour and form in unexpected ways in my abstract artwork, and with this new collection of floral paintings I’m taking a bold step in that direction with a more traditional subject. Flower paintings have been around forever, but I wanted to do flowers *my* way—fresh, modern, full of life and with that playful, vibrant energy that makes my work feel like me.
The inspiration behind this floral art collection
It started last November with the seed of an idea. It had been a long, hard year and I was feeling a bit worn down by... life. I needed an infusion of energy and fun—something to lift my spirits, both in and out of the studio. My first step was a simple one: I treated myself to a big, juicy bouquet of flowers (something I never do). Then I took myself to the local greenhouse for an afternoon of flowery air and lush greenery. I could feel myself inhaling peace, smiling, and re-connecting with the power of a colourful garden—something otherwise so far out of reach in a Canadian November.
Those two acts of flower-fuelled self-care turned out to be the seeds of inspiration for this new collection.
Abstract florals with a fresh twist
These past cold winter weeks have had me returning to the garden of my imagination. I’ve been playing with colour in a fresh way—never shying away from trying new mixes and colour palettes, pushing my boundaries even further. I wanted to approach the tried-and-true idea of painting 'flowers in a vase' in a way that felt contemporary and fun.
Early flower sketches |
Developing colour palettes |
I wanted these paintings to look and feel alive and, most of all, entirely and perfectly imperfectly mine. These aren't your grandma's flowers! I wanted all those hours spent blobbing paint around with my abstract painting to wrap around a more recognisable, universally loved subject—and to develop a collection that is an uplifting offering of joy to all.
Bold colour for my contemporary florals |
Early stage painting abstract flowers in a vase |
Readers of this blog will probably already guess (since I've written about red underpainting a few times) that I used it in many of these paintings to add a layer of depth and warmth to the final piece. A red canvas underneath really makes colours pop and adds an extra burst of energy to each bloom.
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Starting a floral painting on a red canvas |
Progress towards the final painting |
Picking the best of the bunch
Curating a collection is both exciting and challenging—especially when each piece feels like a part of me! When it comes to picking the best blooms, I look for paintings that really sing—the ones that feel most alive, where the colours dance and the brushstrokes land just right. It’s not about perfection (because I love a bit of imperfect energy!) but about finding the pieces that capture a spark of joy and expressive energy. There will be around 20 new mid-sized original flower paintings, along with some new floral art print options available in a few weeks. I'm already so excited for the big reveal!
Work in progress
My most joyful floral paintings yet
I have to say, the level of excitement and inspiration I’ve felt growing within me over these past few weeks has been a surprise. I am used to riding the wave of energy I get from colour and my love of the painting process, but I sense there's something even bigger than that happening here. It’s like I've opened a whole new garden of potential with these abstract florals, and I’m absolutely giddy about what's to come. This collection might just be the beginning of something incredibly beautiful and entirely new for me. It's absolutely wonderful to feel, once again, so completely engaged, challenged and creatively curious at this stage of things.
Don't miss out on collection previews, get on my collectors list here!
